We Just Got a WinCo!

I had a fun adventure tonight. We finally got a WinCo Foods close to our house. I'd never been to one but I've always heard really great things so when I found out they were building one I was pretty jazzed (yes, my life is that pathetic).

Today was the grand opening. They had a few coupons that got sent out in Saturday's paper including a huge thing of apple juice for $0.98, toilet paper for $2.99 (the good stuff), Kraft Mac & Cheese for $0.38, bananas for $0.18 a pound! and several other things that I couldn't resist. Their prices on regular items were decent too although a couple of my regular weekly items weren't that much different than Fred Meyer.

Their bulk food section is incredible. And cheap.

It was absolutely insane there though - I waited in a line for a cart. Then of course the entire store was packed with people...which was actually kind of fun. At least for most of us. Some people seemed grumpy - but if you go to a store's grand opening you should really expect that kind of atmosphere.

Then I had to wait in line just to get in line to check out. Then I waited in the check out line.

Their check out system is really cool. They can actually check out two people at once. They had an issue with one of my coupons so while the checker waited for a supervisor she was actually able to switch to start checking out the people behind me. The little belts to bag the food are separated into two lanes. Talk about efficient.

And I LIKED bagging my own groceries. It was kind of fun. I wouldn't want to do it for a living, but at least I have no one to blame but myself if the bag breaks from being too full. :)

All in all I will definitely be going back to WinCo if I need bulk food items or when they have sales. I think that going there may reduce our grocery bill which is also something we are working on.

I have a feeling that all the other grocery stores were dismally slow today...but competition is good for everyone.

Got An Event?

Sometimes our lives get a little crazy...or a lot crazy. I have a hard time relying on others to help me though.

As Marshal gets older I can't imagine that I'll get more busy, so if I ever have to plan a big event why would I try to do it on my own?

There is another Megan out there who could help me - although she spells her name wrong. :)

Meghan Swanlund Event Design and Management can do all sorts of things to help plan a big or small event. Check out her blog here and add her as a friend on Facebook.

The Details Matter

This weekend we wanted to go to an air show but Marshal needed ear protection. I ordered him these cute blue ones that he should be able to wear from now into the next few years. Just to make sure I got them on time I called the company on Friday morning to order instead of doing it online. I specifically told the woman on the phone that I wanted them by Saturday for an air show.

And I paid an extra $60 for that overnight air shipping.

Yes, I know. The ear protection on ly cost $15. But it was poor planning on my part and I wanted my son's hearing protected.

Can you guess where this is going?

We did not get the ear muffs. After I SPECIFICALLY told her that I wanted to get them Saturday and her working to make sure I would...not so much. I got back on their website and dug around a little deeper into their policies.

Yeah...their UPS account only delivers Monday through Friday. WTH?!?

So...you let me pay an extra $60 for overnight shipping that you knew wouldn't arrive for at least 3 days. Nice.

Not cool. They will be hearing from me and I do want my $60 back. If they're cool about it then great - I'll give them a decent review. If not...oh just wait.

So Where's My Free Time?

This new job is kicking my mother luvin butt. Replace key words in your mind as needed because I sure use stronger words in mine. :)

I'm learning tons but I'm such a perfectionist that I am also getting really frustrated when I don't do things just right - and I think I'm screwing up even if it's not a big deal. We had a meeting with a business owner yesterday and I get started with what I'm saying and my mind goes blank.

Hello? Anyone home?

I need to practice more with someone in front of me instead of just in my head or looking in the mirror. Hubby isn't super helpful ... he prefers to laugh and kind of makes fun of me. He means well and he wants me to succeed but it bores him to hear me do my little presentation. I may have to tie him down and make him sit still to listen.

Oh...and of course there's the boy who is STILL teething (does it ever end!?!?!) although he does officially have a REAL tooth showing and another one peeking through. Woohoo! Maybe one of these days they'll stop torturing his little gums.

QUACK!

Reward Customers and Keep Your Name Out There

One of my new BNI friends is Joe with Site Impressions. So far I've collected several of his promotional items and let me tell you, they are awesome! I now have a couple of pens, a glasses cleaner (those soft cloth ones), spray antibacterial, a keychain, and even a portable plastic vase.

What do they all have in common?

Each and every item has his business name on it and they are all useful items that I WILL use (and am using!).

A great way to remind customers about you is to send them something they can keep and use. I like to send pens (I'm a total pen hog) for Casto Creations that have my business name on them. They're useful and remind people that I'm around if they need me.

Promotional items do not have to cost a lot - even when personalized. From pens to candy and even more off the wall things like promotional Gumball Machines, anything you can think of - Site Impressions can customize!

People love free goodies, so if you do spend money on personalized items be picky about when to hand them out. If you get something a little higher end hold a contest for it instead of just handing it out - and collect e-mails at the same time.

I'm a huge fan of promo items - luckily Aflac has a TON ... so I have to watch my own budget so I don't go overboard. :)

Whine or Wine?

Why not do both? Since joining the local BNI group I've met some great business people, including Stacy Brazington with Fine Wines at Home. She is super nice and is a personal wine consultant. I don't drink, but I may actually have a Wine party and if she can find me one that is nice and sweet I may start incorporating wine into my diet.

Why?

Well, wine is actually fairly good for you in moderation. Stacy shared some information about how wine can benefit your health, and even your waist line!

1. Feed your head - apparently wine can help with preserving your memory. And I need that! I have such a horrible memory, it's scary. "When researchers gave memory quizes to women in their 70s, those who drank one or more every day scored much better than those who drank less or not at all."

2. Keep the scale in your corner - apparently those who drink wine daily have lower body masses than those who only have an occasional drink. Moderate wine drinkers have "narrower waists and less abdominal fat than people who drink liquor." I should tell my hubby that - he likes his liquor.

3. Boost your body's defenses...Live Longer! - According to a British study, those who drank around a glass of wine a day reduced their risk of infection of the ulcer causing bacteria Helicobacter pylori by 11%. Even half a glass may reduce your risk of food poisoning!

4. Guard against ovarian woes - some Australian researchers compared wo men with ovarian cancer to cancer-free women and found that one glass of wine a day seemed to reduce the risk of the disease by "as much as 50 percent." Another study at the University of Hawaii came up with similar results.

5. Build better bones - women who drink moderately appear to have higher bone mass than abstainers and alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels.

6. Prevent blood sugar trouble - maybe this would have helped me with my gestational diabetes. It's generally okay to have a small glass of wine when you're pregnant. :) A Harvard study found that premenopausal women who drink one or two glasses of wine are 40% less likely to develope type 2 Diabetes than women who didn't.

7. Increase your "good cholesterol" level - A 1998 Finish study found that moderate drinking can reduce concentrations of lipoprotein in the blood, leading to fewer fat deposits in blood vessels.

So there you have it! Wine is good for you - in moderation of course. Now if I can find one that tastes like grape juice I'll be thrilled. And I'm curious to know if red grape juice gives some similar benefits. I know it's the red wines that have the great antibodies that are supposed to be so good for you.

If you're in Washington, head on over to Stacy's website and see about hosting a Wine Party at home. :)

Excerpts above from Debra Gordon, Health Magazine.

I was NOT paid or compensated in any way for this post. :) Just me and my opinions for the heck of it.

Increase Your Business - Join a Network Referral Group

One thing that can be a challenge, among the many challenges, as a small business is finding customers. Online sites like Etsy helps average everyday folks like me sell to people across the country, but sometimes that stops me from seeing the opportunities in my own back yard.

Recently I was invited to a visitor's day to BNI, a networking group that has charters all around the world. A local group was just chartered last week and I had such a great time that I applied to be part of it - and was accepted!

The great thing about groups like BNI, they only allow one of each profession as a representative in each group. So, in my new group, I am the only Aflac representative. There is only one auto mechanic, one roofer, one Mary Kay consultant, etc. Some networking groups end up being a bunch of Avon ladies, Pampered Chef sales people, or Partylite Consultants (not that there's ANYTHING wrong with these, but when that's all there is it's a little harder to have a functional group) but BNI is much more oriented toward brick and mortar businesses.

Something there aren't a lot of, at least in this local group, is independent artisans. But it seems to me that it would be a fabulous opportunity for people who design and create for a living. The whole purpose of BNI groups is to help one another grow business through referrals.

And it's not some loose group of people getting together every week - it's quite structured and there are certain rules, as well as an annual membership fee, that are required. I love this!

The energy in my new group is contagious! I hope that it will be a huge boon to my new business and I am excited to provide referrals to the other members' businesses as well. If you're looking for a BNI group in your area head over to their website - they are all over the world. Remember, if you join as a jeweler - you will be the only jewelery allowed in the group!

Training, Training, Training

Monday and Tuesday were training days for me...away from home. Poor hubby had to be responsible for our boy Monday night and Tuesday morning, but really he gets off pretty easy. My mother in law came over Tuesday morning to get Marshal ready for the nanny and then the nanny came over to pick him up for the day. Basically hubby just had to get him on Monday, feed him, clothe/change him, and put him to bed.

But it's still kind of a big deal because I've never been away from my son overnight. I'm actually SURPRISED by how much I missed him - even trying to get him to bed at night. Sure, I got to sleep in with no crying and no dog jumping up on the bed. But it wasn't all that great. I actually got food poisoning Monday night so my night and Tuesday morning were pretty lame. I did feel a little better thankfully by the time my class started on Tuesday.

There is SO much to learn. It's exhausting and overwhelming. And kind of scary. Will I be able to do this? Will I be able to convey this information to others and share what I'm learning in a way that will help them see the value of Aflac in their lives? I've known the valu of Aflac in our lives for 8 years, but even I wasn't aware of some of the awesome products they offer that I actually need to sign up for.

I need to sign us up for the Hospital Protection plan in the next week or two. And I'm hoping to get my little brother signed up for the Cancer policy - he needs it. We have a history of cancer in our family and since he's under 30 his rates will be way lower than if he waits a few years.

I wish young folks thought more about their future - I know I did. I signed up for the Accident Policy when I was in my early 20s. My rates are just about as low as they can get for the policies we have. Age 35 is the cutoff for rate increases.

How do I help others protect themselves and their families and their assets...without sounding like a dorky sales person?

New Kid on the Block

It's the big day...I start my brand new job. One where I will need to learn a whole new set of skills and not rely on my comfortable skills. Talk about going outside the box. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking when I made this decision but that's the beauty of God. He leads me to do things that I would never consider on my own...or that I would just not think about.

I'm going to be a sales person. Ew! I still can't fully comprehend it. But I'm thankful that the company I've joined is awesome and I can be proud to say that I sell Aflac!!!! =) It's my hope that the enthusiasm I have for the product comes through and makes me not so much a sales person but a business partner for people.

I remember a couple of years ago talking to one of my coworkers about our Aflac policy and she said I should sell it. I laughed them and never thought about it again. I just loved the product and we'd needed to use it (and used it again after that) so it didn't feel like 'selling' ... because I wasn't.

Does that make any sense whatsoever?

So as my first day begins I get to meet new coworkers, dress in business clothes (something I haven't done in at least 5 years), and learn new things. Scary...and exciting at the same time. =)

Improving Yourself on the Cheap

I'm trying to find a swimming lesson class for me and Marshal to join...there is one at the local Athletic club but I think it's going to be expensive. So I started trying to see if there was anything available at the local schools. I'd heard that there are red cross volunteers who sometimes hold classes on the weekends.

Well, I didn't have any luck finding a class, but I did discover that the local school district offers many different classes on all sorts of topics. I'm sure that a lot of school districts out there offer something similar.

Here are a few of the classes I found that seem like they'd be great to take, especially if you're looking to start or change careers:

BECOME A HOME-BASED TRAVEL AGENT

Love to travel, but expenses getting you down? Learn the benefits of becoming an independent travel agent in your free time. Earn commissions, be your own boss, and have fun and plan a Caribbean cruise.

CLASS FEE: $20.00

 What a great idea...for $20 it's hard to pass up to at least learn about.

SUCCESSFUL LANDLORDING

This course is designed for people who own or would like to own rental property. It will cover finding and screening good tenants, lease terms, applicable laws, security deposits, tenant relations, rent collection, evictions, property maintenance, problem tenants and more.

CLASS FEE: $20.00

I bet there's a lot to learn about being a landlord. I don't think it's a passive source of income, and it's nothing I'd want to do. But it might be right for some people. 


I want to take this one (in my "spare" time hahahaha)

WATERCOLOR (Beginning)

Learn watercolor techniques and applying paint with a brush, rag or sponge. Your own creative power will be guided through step-by-step procedures, from the first pale wash through detailed finishing touches. Students will purchase their own supplies ($20 - $40). Bring $5.00 to instructor for supplies for the first class.) Class will continue an additional 4 weeks if there is sufficient interest.

CLASS FEE: $40.00

 I love painting but I have no talent. :)


There are dozens upon dozens of various classes from learning how to make your own jewelry to how to invest and even computer classes. I guess it just never occurred to me to check the school district for this kind of thing. It seems rather obvious that they would be a great source of information and activities.

It Only Takes One

It makes me so sad when I read about someone who has a negative experience with an independent artisan...especially with Etsy.

While doing my Entrecard drops I ran across a blogger who had a bad experience with a jeweler on Etsy (and of course trying to find that post is impossible now), which of course hits near and dear to my heart.

The one negative feedback I got made me cry, and I wrote about it here. I didn't blame the customer or try to push responsibility back on them...no. I contacted them and tried to make it right. The customer actually ended up apologizing for her quick feedback response, rather than taking the time to contact me directly.

If someone contacts me I generally will bend over backwards to make them happy. Even if it means accepting a return on something. Just recently I made a mistake in the description of one a piece I sold...I had the dimensions larger than actual size. TOTALLY my fault. And I accepted the piece back (and adjusted my listings for that piece). That's my responsibility.

Being rude to customers and trying to blame them for your jewelry falling apart is just not okay.

I have several clients waiting for me to do repairs right now. It's a little disheartening to me that a couple of pieces have broken over several years of wear...but really when I think about it statistically it's not a bad record. One of these pieces is a bracelet that the woman wears very nearly every day. Considering that it is made with Swarovski crystals and bead wire it's amazing that it lasts as long as it does (Swarovski beads are VERY hard on wire and rub it until it snaps). The other one is totally my fault but I'm still impressed that it lasted for so many years.


Would I EVER blame my customers for these issues? NO!!! Even if it were their fault I'd be hard pressed to extend the blame to them. If it's something I can help with then that is my duty as a jeweler and indie artisan (which I do consider myself to be).

If you ever have a bad experience with a designer, or for that matter a corporation, let them know. Try to resolve it first with them. And if they still treat you badly...let EVERYONE know about it!

And conversely...if you have a great experience, please let the person/company know. There is NOTHING better than getting a really great e-mail or card in the mail from a happy customer. =) Of course, tell everyone you know about your great experience too.

Where Were You Five Years Ago?

This amazing blog post by my friend at Alterity is one that every artist and craft person needs to read! It would have helped me to know half of this stuff about taxes with a jewelry business. =)

If you're just starting out head over and read this post because it could save you some heart ache (and money) in the long run!

I actually have an accountant person who has been doing my family's taxes for years and years (my grandfather's and my mother's) so I just kept with him to do my business taxes as well. I still don't know if my taxes are correct but he seems to be able to figure out my notes.

What's So Funny?

I don't often check my blog or website stats. I know I should and I know I should care more and try harder, but I just don't. Thems the facts.

But I was taking a look recently, just to see what is coming up.

I do not know how people find me other than Entrecard or my website (or maybe Facebook) so looking at some of the search terms that bring people here as stumped me.

"Funny Pictures", "Funny Pics", and "Funny Photos" are the top three search terms that land people here.

Huh?

What's so funny about any of the photos I've posted? I may need to go back through my blog and see what I'm missing.

Paid Reviews?

* UPDATE: I think I've decided to do a couple of reviews on my own just for fun...I'm more than willing to take feedback and suggestions as well. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. *

I have a lot of opinions on a lot of things and I think I would make a good reviewer of "stuff". Anyone have any recommendations for a site that actually pays you to write??? I used to be part of 451 Press but they went under last year. :(

I'm not looking to make a fortune...just a few extra dollars doing something I enjoy (writing...and sharing my opinion whether people want it or not Hahahah!).

I've actually already written two lengthy reviews of two different products. If I do say so myself, they aren't too shabby.

So ... anyone have any suggestions???

If not, that's okay. I may just start doing reviews on this website for the heck of it. Would anybody mind? Or, probably more accurately, would anyone care and read?

Beautiful Sites

Later this year when I'm no longer at my current job and (maybe) have more time to focus on jewelry things, I'd like to get my blogs redesigned. Preferably I'd like to at least get this blog designed to match my website (and someday get my main website back up to accept orders).

Maybe someday my website will be in the 35 Most Beautiful Websites. :)

Mail Chimp made it! Which doesn't really surprise me as they have an extremely great set up and easy to work with system.

These are some of my favorites.




Not all of them look that beautiful to me. This one kind of creeps me out.


I am not sure if the lady I've been working with for my website does blog design too but if so I'll probably stick with her. Unless someone has a suggestion for a really great blog designer. It has to be something I can work with and don't need to rely on them to update things. And of course it has to work with Blogger because I have no real desire to switch to another site...although I'm not completely opposed to it if it's easy (and easy by MY standards, which means kindergarten).

Profit is Not a Dirty Word

The latest Jewelry Artist magazine had a fantastic article about pricing jewelry. All too often we jewelry designers (and other Artsy folks) price our work much too low. I'm guilty of it for sure, and I see it on Etsy all the time.

Though I've been selling my jewelry semi-seriously for the last five years, this article brought to my attention some things that I truly never considered about pricing. And while it's fairly specific to jewelry, I think the concepts apply equally to other artistic endeavors.



The article outlines four parts for pricing:

1. Supplies - the easiest portion of cost to calculate since supplies are a fixed cost that can be added up for each piece. Although I do find it difficult to calculate the cost of PMC and wire.
   


2. Labor - to me, the most difficult piece to calculate. What am I worth? What is my time worth? Should I make minimum wage? I sure don't think so ... maybe when I first started but I think I've worked my way up beyond that now. But something I never considered about labor - all the costs that I would incure if I paid someone else:
   
   ~ Health Insurance
   ~ Vacation
   ~ Sick Leave & Disability
   ~ Retirement
   
   And, when you work for yourself you're supposed to pay self employment taxes (although I think for artisans/crafts people this is a little different, I'm not entirely sure how it works).
   
   

   "Keep track of all the time you spend making a piece, but don't base your labor cost on that first piece ... After you've made about 10 of the same or similar pieces, start the clock. Multiply that time by your hourly wage for your labor cost. If it seems high, don't start cutting your hourly wage unless you know it's more than it should be. Instead, look at your time. How can you simplify the design or streamline your process?"



3. Overhead - I've written about this particular piece of the pricing dilema before because I think it's almost as overlooked as labor. There are many intangibles that artisans overlook in pricing.
   
   

   "...paper towels, shipping boxes, and packing materials. Overhead also includes expendable items that you use for all your work and that much be replaced: investment, gas for your torch, buffs, compounds, solder, saw blades, flux, beading needles. Figure out how long tools should last you ... divide the tool cost by the expected lifetime and add that percentage to your annual overhead. Total your overhead for the year and divide by the number of hours you put into your business in a year. Then when you have this hourly a mount, multiply it by the number of hours it takes you to make a piece..."

   
   It's a little overwhelming, but as the article states, if you are losing money and aren't sure why, it might have to do with your overhead.
   


4. Profit - the last piece of the puzzle. So many people, especially in the artisan world, think that profit is a dirty word. It is NOT! We all deserve to make some money and if we can do so doing something we love then all the better.
   
   "You do want a vacation, right? Or retirement? If you forget to figure this in - whether it is 3% or 150% of your costs - you may as well work for someone else."

I highly recommend taking a look at this month's issue of Jewelry Artist (February 2010) and read this article. If your goal is to make money and a living from your jewelry (or for that matter any sort of craft) it is important to value your work. If you don't, no one else will.

Why Am I Banned?

I got banned from Twitter over a month ago. It is beyond frustrating...I have submitted three different tickets asking why and so far NO response. The first two tickets were closed...with no response explaining to me why my account was suspended.

What do I have to do to get back on Twitter and why was I suspended in the first place?

Has anyone else had a problem with being suspended?

I thought maybe it was because my previous website had gotten hacked and I had my site listed in my Twitter account. But the website is fixed and no longer hacked.

Was it because I disagreed with someone? Or someone complained because I offended them somehow? If so that is beyond lame.

Anyway...I'm just frustrated because I really like using Twitter and following people. And now I've been without it for over a month. :(

What is Going On?

I'm not sure why, but I have been swamped with Spam e-mails lately. And I don't get it. What have I done differently? Who did I give my creations e-mail address to? It's crazy. I'm getting 25-40 a day and sometimes more. Only 7-10 of them make it to my actual inbox, but those that go into my Spam folder make it impossible for me to review all the messages to see if any actual e-mails have gotten stuck.

I use my hotmail account for most things, and personal things, but don't really get that much Spam mail...maybe 10 a day. You'd think that account would get a lot more since I use it when I sign up for contests and that sort of thing.

The mail I've been getting has subject headers that look like real messages, which is annoying. It makes it harder to determine real messages from spam. For the most part, if I don't recognize a name and the subject isn't specific, I mark as spam and delete.

Have you gotten a lot of Spam mail lately?

Very Depressing

I'm crying. Sure it may be the hormones, but it's probably the situation.

I got my first negative feedback on Etsy. :( I've been on Etsy for nearly four years now and have never had ONE single negative or even a neutral feedback. Ever.

Why? Because I work with my customers. And I work very hard to make sure my customers are happy with their purchases. If there's a problem I want to make it right. That's one of the reasons why I take returns, even though I really don't like taking returns on jewelry that is sometimes one of a kind.

This person did not contact me at all in any way to tell me that she was not satisfied with her purchase. I can't fix something if I don't know about it.

Do people expect too much from handmade? Nothing will be perfect ... and some of the PMC pieces I make are specifically NOT perfect ... they're supposed to be a little more rustic. And I'm not some faceless store - I can easily be reached and I'm obsessive about checking my Etsy messages.

Hubby is now mad ... not at me but mad because I'm upset. He hates it when I cry.

At least the person left a reason. I sent her a message and asked that she allow me to either replace them, take them back, or exchange them for something different and whether she would withdraw her feedback. Thankfully Etsy allows a "kiss and makeup" feature.

I hope she will reply. I'm just sick. I know it's all part of business but the whole situation has upset me a lot.

How Transparent Are You?

I really enjoy Twitter...it's turned me on to some interesting articles. One of which I discovered last night called "To Hell with Transparency" by The Fluent Self that I found fascinating.

The premise is that most 'professionals' (whoever they are) suggest opening up as a business person and sharing your personal story. It makes people feel like you are more human and approachable.

But not everyone is comfortable doing that. Some people are shy and quiet, or just very private about their lives.

I'm not one of those people. :) I'm sure anyone who has read this blog for any length of time knows that I'm pretty much an open book. In fact, I felt I was too open for my jewelry blog so I started a new blog where I could spew my personal life and opinions.

I think you can share TOO much, and I think I tend to do that sometimes. I'm just an open book and I don't keep a lot of secrets or private thoughts. Even my facial expressions betray my thoughts - my mom always said I could never play poker.

But I think it IS important to let people get to know you as a person, and not just as a business person. It can't be all about *insert your subject of expertise here* all the time. Although, the article does make an excellent point:

"Transparency, vulnerability and authenticity are only useful when they aren’t forced and when they come from the heart."

Don't try to force sincerity, because it never works. If you truly aren't comfortable sharing something then don't do it.

I just don't have that discomfort ... ever. =)

So what do you want to know? *grin*